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Author: alexandrasantiago5689

Titans @ Steelers: Two division leaders get things started off this week. Tennessee is tied atop the AFC South with Jacksonville, while Pittsburgh has a comfortable lead in the AFC North as they’re the only above .500 squad in the division. The Steelers boast the top rusher and receiver on the season, while the Titans have Kevin Byard who has the most interceptions on the season. This could be a very competitive game, as both teams have kept their games pretty close, but I’ll take the home team to get the week started off with a win. PITTSBURGH WINS

Sunday 1PM Games

Lions @ Bears: This NFC North match-up is bigger for the road team than the home team, as Detroit is tied for 2nd in the division with Green Bay, and two back from Minnesota. They’re on a two game win streak, and have actually played better on the road than home this season. The Bears had gotten themselves back to a game of .500, but have since lost two straight. An inconsistent running game plagues both teams, but the Lions defense and passing game have been a lot more consistent than the Bears, and it’ll help them again this weekend. DETROIT WINS

Jaguars @ Browns: The league’s only remaining win-less team is coming off a game against Detroit where they actually held a lead late in the 3rd quarter, only to allow 21 unanswered in the final 15:52. Their offense continues to be struggle picking up the slack for their defense, with their leading receiver being a running back. THey face a Jacksonville team with a defense that shows no mercy on opposing quarterbacks, while their own quarterback is trending upwards. Do I think Cleveland can pick up a win this season? Yes. Will they in week 11? I don’t think so. JACKSONVILLE WINS

Ravens @ Packers: The Packers survived more injuries in their backfield to pick up their 5th win of the season, and their first without Aaron Rodgers. Brett Hundley played okay against the Bears, but they need more against the Ravens defense, especially with questions at running back. The Ravens find themselves a game below .500 despite scoring more points than they’ve allowed. This is because when they win, they do so decisively, having shut out the Bengals and Dolphins by a combined score of 60-0. But they’re losing the closer games of late. This could be a close game, but I think Baltimore finds a way to finally win one. BALTIMORE WINS

Buccaneers @ Dolphins: It’s a battle for Florida in week 11. Mike Evans returns after his one game suspension in time to help try to get Tampa their first road win of the season. The Bucs snapped a 5-game skid with a trio of field-goals and a late touchdown to put the game out of reach against the Jets. Ryan Fitzpatrick was just good enough in his first start in place of the injured Jameis Winston. The home team is coming off a blowout road loss on Monday night against the Panthers. The Dolphins have followed up a three-game win streak that had them over .500 with a three game losing streak. So who takes this one? Give me the road team. TAMPA BAY WINS

Rams @ Vikings: This is one of the more intriguing games this week to me, as two 7-2 teams square off. The upstart Rams and Jared Goff take on a very good Vikings team led by former Rams QB Case Keenum. There was some question whether Teddy Bridgewater would get the start for Minnesota, but Keenum did so well against Washington last week, there isn’t a change yet. Both teams have the ability to score, and defend, so it’ll interesting to see which wins out, offense or defense. While both can air it out, I think extending drives on the ground will be key, and if that’s the case, I’m rolling with Todd Gurley. LOS ANGELES WINS

Redskins @ Saints: New Orleans is tied with the Eagles for the longest win streak in the NFL this season, as they’ve won 7 straight following an 0-2 start. The Saints are coming off a dominating win over a good Bills team that included 6 rushing touchdowns. That’s more than 13 other teams have for the season! As for Washington, they continued to be up and down this season last week. A quick start turned into a big 2nd quarter for the Vikings, and the Skins were unable to catch up all the way for the win. This could be a high scoring game, though with how the Saints defense has played during the win streak, I don’t see them losing at home this week. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Chiefs @ Giants: New York fell to its lowest point in week 10, allowing the win-less Niners to easily get their first victory of the season. Sterling Shepard had a big day in his second game back from injury, but that was about it for Giants highlights. The defense allowed San Francisco to run for 186 yards. Now they have to play a well-rested Chiefs team that looks to build their lead in the AFC West. While the Chiefs haven’t played as well as they did during their 5-0 start to the season, they’re still more consistent on both sides of the football than New York is. KANSAS CITY WINS

Cardinals @ Texans: If the way the rest of the season has gone, the Cardinals will win this week. They have alternated wins and losses all year, with their most recent loss a close one at home to the Seahawks. Drew Stanton didn’t get much help on offense, outside of nearly 180 yards receiving combined between Larry Fitzgerald and Jermaine Gresham. The running game was non-existent, something they need to pick up wins. Houston’s offense has struggled since Deshaun Watson went down for the season. Sure they lost big to the very good Rams last week, but they couldn’t score more than 14 the week before against the Colts, who give up the most points a game in the NFL. Neither of these teams are very impressive, but I trust the Cardinals offense more than the Texans right now. ARIZONA WINS

Sunday 4/4:25PM Games

Bills @ Chargers: Buffalo put together a pretty good first half of the saeason, but have not shown up the last two weeks on either side of the ball. Their defense allowed 81 points combined, including 6 rushing touchdowns last week. And a change at quarterback after Tyrod Taylor struggled agaisnt the Saints last week. Los Angeles has been playing catchup after an 0-4 start, and are on their own 2 game losing streak. The Chargers season full of close losses continued against the Jags, as they lost another on a field-goal. So which team snaps their mini slide? I’ll take a big game from LeSean McCoy in the Bills new look offense. BUFFALO WINS

Bengals @ Broncos: Playoff teams a year ago, neither of these teams have had a good season this year. The Broncos loss to the Giants seems to have broken them. A very good defense has turned into an embarrassment, and the offense isn’t much better. Cincinnati is having the same problem, except their defense is the only thing keeping them in games. The Bengals have no running game to speak of, but frankly neither do this Broncos at this point. I’m taking Cincy here only because of the AJ Green factor. CINCINNATI WINS

Patriots @ Raiders: The Patriots at the top of the AFC East again, and after a slow start, are playing well on both sides of the ball. The ageless Tom Brady is leading the league is passing. If New England can figure out their run game again, look out. Oakland is still trying to find themselves, something you don’t want in week 11. They’re 2 games out of the AFC West, and just a game out of the wild card despite their 4-5 record. Derek Carr is trying to play through a back injury, but it’s not working out too well. I liked the Raiders preseason, I like the Patriots in season. NEW ENGLAND WINS

Sunday Night Football

Eagles @ Cowboys: The Cowboys will officially be without Ezekiel Elliot for a while, and it couldn’t come at a worse time, as they face the best team in football. They’re coming off a no show performance against the Falcons and are already 3 games back in the division. The Eagles can all but wrap up the NFC East with a win on Sunday Night. Philly is well-rested of the home stretch and during their 7-game win streak, their last three have come by double-digits. So without their best weapon, and having been a bit inconsistent offensively anyway, I don’t think Dallas can end the Eagles streak this week. PHILADELPHIA WINS

Monday Night Football

Falcons @ Seahawks: Both teams are coming off wins, and both need a victory here to stay alive in their divisions. The reigning NFC Champs have had an up and down season, but had one of their better showings last week, in a 20-point win over Dallas. Atlanta has been alternating wins and losses the last four, and to some key opponents. As for the Seahawks, they have had an odd season. They either seem to blow teams out, or lose close games. That changed a bit last week, as they pulled out a close win over the Cardinals. Seattle needs more consistency in the running game, but has had a lot of good performances on defense. And that return to the “Legion of Boom” mentality is why I think they get the win to close out week 11. SEATTLE WINS

Seahawks @ Cardinals: The Seahawks up-and-down offensive season continued in their loss to Washington last week. Russell Wilson and Doug Baldwin were the only two to make noise on that side of the ball for Seattle, but a couple big turnovers by Wilson helped the Redskins stay in the game and ultimately comeback late to win. Arizona continued their win one, lose one pattern with a 10-point win over the 49ers in week 9. Adrian Peterson put up big numbers in his 3rd game since joining the Cardinals, and Drew Stanton played well in his first start of the season. They’ll need better from Stanton this week, and another big game from Peterson. That being said, I expect the Seahawks defense to come up big and take this NFC West match-up. SEATTLE WINS

Sunday 1PM Games

Packers @ Bears: Green Bay was walked all over by the Lions in week 9, despite a pretty good showing by Brett Hundley. They couldn’t get any of their run game going, and their defense couldn’t stop the Lions. Chicago is coming off their bye week and hoping they can get their own offense going. The Bears have only scored over 20 points in two of their 8 games this season. Both teams have running games capable of gaining over 100 yards and controlling clock. The difference comes down to the play of their young quarterbacks and which can play cleaner. I’ll take the road team in this one. GREEN BAY WINS

Browns @ Lions: Detroit had an easy time of it passing the ball in week 9, with Matthew Stafford connecting with 8 different players, including two for over 100 yards each. The defense held down a pretty good rushing attack, and get another chance against an offensively challenged team this week. Can the Browns come off their bye week and get their first win of the season? They could get a new (or old) offensive weapon back in the form of Josh Gordon who hasn’t played since 2014. Whether they do or not, it doesn’t matter for this game. The Lions are playing well and at home, will have an easy time picking up their 5th win of the season. DETROIT WINS

Steelers @ Colts: Refreshed and on a three-game winning streak, the Steelers look to keep their comfortable division lead as they head to Indy. While not scoring as prolifically as they’ve been known too, they find ways to win games fairly easily because they don’t really do anything poorly. Indianapolis survived and picked up their 3rd win of the season last week, upon learning they would not get their starting quarterback this season. Jacoby Brissett has done an okay job since being acquired from the Pats to take over for the injured Andrew Luck, while the defense continues to be up and down. They can’t be down this week, and even if they play well, I still think that this is Pittsburgh’s game to lose. PITTSBURGH WINS

Chargers @ Jaguars: Jacksonville’s defense continues to carry them, while Blake Bortles has been a lot more careful with the football of late. The special teams had a big week for the Jags in week 9 as well. The Chargers 3-game win streak ended in week 8 before their bye week. Los Angeles keeps themselves in games, which is a big thing for a struggling team. But I don’t know if they can keep up with the Jaguars offense. JACKSONVILLE WINS

Saints @ Bills: After 6 straight wins after an 0-2 start, the Saints have to feel good about how they’re planning in all facets of the game. Mark Ingram continues to put up more than solid numbers on the ground, and the defense was awoken after their awful showing through 2 weeks. They take on a Bills team that took a big hit in their division hopes at New York last Thursday. A defense that hadn’t allowed more than 21 points in all but 1 game, gave up 34 to the Jets. They’ll need much more from LeSean McCoy on the ground this week to keep down the Saints. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Jets @ Buccaneers: Tampa enters week 10 on a 5-game losing streak in which they’ve allowed 30 or more points three times. And without their best offensive weapon in Mike Evans who was suspended for a hit on the Saints rookie Marcus Lattimore, and without Jameis Winston who hurt his shoulder, this will be a tough game for the Bucs. The Jets defense was huge, giving their offense a number of short fields, and a ton of possessions. Matt Forte ran for two scores, and Josh McCown added one on the ground as well. That being said, they’ve been very up and down, so give me Ryan Fitzpatrick to get some revenge on his former team. TAMPA BAY WINS

Vikings @ Redskins: Fresh off their bye, the Vikings will look to continue their 4-game winning streak and keep their cushion atop the NFC North. They’ll have to do it without Sam Bradford, who was put on IR, but could soon have former ROY winner Teddy Bridgewater back under center, though Case Keenum has done a pretty good job in Bradford’s place. As for the Redskins, they stopped a two-game skid with a comeback win over the Seahawks in week 9. They’re offense didn’t do anything particularly noteworthy until that final game winning drive, where they moved the ball easily against a very good defense. I like the Vikings here however, no matter who gets the start under center. MINNESOTA WINS

Bengals @ Titans: Here are two AFC teams I expected more from this season. And yes, I get that the Titans are tied atop their division, but they’ve had some winnable games slip late that would have had them alone and closer to the top of the AFC standings altogether. Marcus Mariota has been up-and-down, but the what they really need is more consistency from DeMarco Murry on offense. Same with the defense. Cincinnati is having an even tougher time of it, two games below .500 and 3rd in the AFC North. The Bengals offense has struggled from game 1, because even though A.J. Green is a huge weapon, there needs to be more than one option on offense. While their defense has been pretty good this season, I think the Titans can get to them enough at home to pick up their 6th win of the season. TENNESSEE WINS

Sunday 4/4:25PM Games

Texans @ Rams: Houston was looking so good before Deshaun Watson went down, but without him, the offense last week could not pick up the defense, which struggled against the Colts passing game. Now they have their hands full with one of the hottest teams in the league, the Los Angeles Rams. Fresh off an impressive showing against the Giants, the Rams are now 5-0 on the road this season, and boast the best scoring offense in the league. Not a given that the Rams blowout the Texans this weekend, but I don’t think they lose either. LOS ANGELES WINS

Cowboys @ Falcons: Losers of 4 of their last 5, the Falcons are in danger of not making the playoffs and avenging their Superbowl loss. Their defense has allowed at least 20 points in every game since week 1. The offense, which started off the scoring nearly 90 points through 3 weeks, hasn’t gotten to 80 combined since. Dallas isn’t having that problem. Their offense is clicking, winning their last 3 and scoring 28 or more in their last 6 games. But can they keep it up without Ezekiel Elliot, who is set to finally start serving his suspension? I think so. DALLAS WINS

Giants @ 49ers: It’s a battle between the two worst teams in the NFC this weekend out on the West Coast. The Giants continue to have on-and-off the field problems after a 51-17 demolishing by the Rams at home last week. A lone bright spot for the Giants has been the play of rookie tight-end Evan Engram on an offense that has been decimated by injuries. The good news for New York is their one win this season came on the road. As for the home team, San Francisco has lost 10 straight dating back to last year. At least earlier in the season they were keeping games close, but two of their last 3 have been blowouts. And the Niners offense has scored just 30 points in their last three as well. So if ever there was a time for the Giants to get a second win, it’s this week. NEW YORK WINS

Sunday Night Football

Patriots @ Broncos: Here are two teams that have been perennial playoff threats, moving in opposite directions. The Patriots keep trucking along, with a 1 game lead in the AFC East. New England’s defense got off to a historically bad start this season, but in the last 4 weeks, all wins, have held opponents under 13 points a game. Denver has lost their last 4 games, and made a change at quarterback. Their defense has been getting worse, while not forcing turnovers. So while this Broncos team still has the talent to get a win against the Pats, I don’t think they will. NEW ENGLAND WINS

Monday Night Football

Dolphins @ Panthers: Miami has followed up a three-game win streak with two losses, including a shutout and a 3-point loss to Oakland. Their inconsistency on offense is going to hurt them against a good Panthers defense. Those Panthers are just a half game out of first in their division, with one of their worst losses of the season coming to the Saints early. Carolina were down 10-0 after one to the Falcons last weekend, but a good game on the ground from Cam Newton and rookie Christian McCaffery helped get the win. So while this game could be close, the Panthers are still the better team. CAROLINA WINS

Half the season down, another half to go. The Eagles have the best record in football at the halfway point, and two teams remain win-less.

Bye Week: Browns, Chargers, Vikings, Steelers, Patriots and Bears.

Thursday Night Football

Bills @ Jets: This AFC East match-up features one of the best defenses in the league and a Jets team struggling to finish off games. New York’s last 5 games have been within 5 points, but their ability to pull out close wins has turned into a three game losing streak. Buffalo has seen Tyrod Taylor get better, LeSean McCoy start to return to his usual explosive self, and a new weapon in Kelvin Benjamin means this team is ready to challenge the Pats for the East. BUFFALO WINS

Sunday 1PM Games

Buccaneers @ Saints: New Orleans is one of the hottest teams in the league, despite a couple down games from Drew Brees. Mark Ingram is tearing up opposing defensive lines, and the Saints own defense looks revitalized. The Bucs are heading in the opposite direction, having lost four straight, and at the bottom of the AFC South. The offense couldn’t get anything going a week ago, and the defense has been struggling the past few. It’s a bad combination to head into New Orleans with, especially since Brees is due to break out. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Falcons @ Panthers: This is a big NFC South match-up, as both teams find themselves looking up at the Saints. Atlanta has been shaky after coming out of the gate scoring at will. Carolina is starting to turn things around, but traded their top receiver this week. Their defense is starting to round into form, but I don’t get the move. I’m not sure I like my pick, but I’m going with a big day from De’Vonta Freeman that leads to a Falcons road win. ATLANTA WINS

Rams @ Giants: One of the best scoring teams in the league, takes on one of the worst. And New York’s problems continue coming off the bye week as another big piece on defense is suspended. They’ve got to hope the running game shows up to help out Eli Manning and the depleted passing attack. But with what Todd Gurley has done this season, and what the Los Angeles defense can do, I don’t see the Giants picking up their first home win of the season this week. LOS ANGELES WINS

Ravens @ Titans: The Ravens are a weird team that I just can’t put my finger on, which means their 4-4 record makes sense to me. They can’t seem to put more than a couple good games in a row, but bounce back pretty quickly as well. Tennessee’s offense has not been what I thought it could be this season. Lingering injuries are part of it, and the Titans up and down defense isn’t helping. I think it’ll be close, something the Titans should be used to this season, but I’m taking Joe Flacco and company in this one. BALTIMORE WINS

Bengals @ Jaguars: Cincinnati is another AFC North team that has been hard to figure out this season. The defense has been pretty good, but the offense doesn’t seem to do enough to finish off games. The Jaguars defense has shown they can shut down just about anyone, and help their offense by putting up points on the board. Blake Bortles is coming off a career day passing, and they have two rushers capable of putting up 100-plus performances. JACKSONVILLE WINS

Broncos @ Eagles: Denver is making a change at quarterback after losing three straight games. Brock Osweiler is getting the call under center this weekend. They’ll need all the help they can get against the team with the best record in the NFL. Philly only got stronger during the week, adding another weapon on offense in running back Jay Ajayi. We’ve seen the Broncos defense flourish this season, but the Eagles defense is outperforming them, and will get the Eagles to 8-1 this week. PHILADELPHIA WINS

Colts @ Texans: Indianapolis is officially without Andrew Luck for the remainder of the season. Jacoby Brissett has had some good moments taking over for Luck, but the offense only seems to have one real weapon in T.Y. Hilton, and if he’s shut down, that’s about it. Houston got similar awful news about their quarterback, finding out Thursday that Deshaun Watson tore his ACL in practice. On pace to shatter rookie records, Watson was poised to obliterate the Colts defense, which is allowing the most points per game in the league. Whether they bring someone else in at the 11th hour, or go back to original starter Tom Savage, I still like the home team. HOUSTON WINS

Sunday 4/4:25PM Games

Redskins @ Seahawks: Washington has been pretty up and down so far this season, and are just 1-2 on the road. They need a lot more from their running game, which would help them win the close games. The Seahawks come in flying high, on a four game win-streak and tied atop the NFC West division. They were tested last weekend by Deshaun Watson and the Texans explosive offense. But Seattle’s offense is playing better as of late, and they survived for the shootout win. The Skins offense hasn’t shown the ability to put up near 40 points this season, and I don’t think they’ll be able to this weekend if needed. SEATTLE WINS

Cardinals @ 49ers: Both teams enter action featuring new starting quarterbacks. Drew Stanton gets the call for an injured Carson Palmer. Stanton has had success filling in for Palmer, and the Cardinals could use better, more consistent play on offense. Their defense hasn’t been what they’d been the last few years either, and this week could be a good chance to get back on track. San Francisco is one of two team still looking to get into the win column, and they turn to newly acquired Jimmy Garoppolo to help. The Niners have been close in most of their games this season, and while I believe Garoppolo can help, I’m not sure he’ll be acclimated to the offense to get the win this weekend. ARIZONA WINS

Chiefs @ Cowboys: The Chiefs are starting to run away with the AFC West, something I didn’t think would be so easy. They got back in the win column after losing two straight with an easy win over the Broncos on Monday night. So on a short week, they look to get their 7th win of the season. Dallas continues to deal with the weekly can Ezekiel Elliot play or not questions. And winners of two straight, a big reason why had been nearly 300 rushing yards from Elliot in that span. With or without the second year back, this was always going to be a pretty good game, and a game about controlling clock. Kareem Hunt has helped Kansas City do that all year, and now that Alex Smith is getting big performances from guys like Travis Kelce again in the passing game, I think they get it done on the road. KANSAS CITY WINS

Sunday Night Football

Raiders @ Dolphins: In a curious move, the 4-3 Dolphins traded away their star running back Jay Ajayi, who admittedly hasn’t had the season he had a year ago, to the Eagles. Miami is winning games despite giving up more points than they’ve scored overall this season. Oakland is coming off an ugly loss to another AFC East team, a much better Bills team. But I think the Raiders can find a way to put up the offensive numbers they did against the Chiefs two weeks ago again on the road this week, and get back on track. OAKLAND WINS

Monday Night Football

Lions @ Packers: Much like the Falcons-Panthers game, this is a big NFC battle, as both teams are chasing the Vikings. Detroit fell at home last week despite a huge passing day from Matt Stafford. The Lions couldn’t finish off drives, never finding the end-zone against the Steelers. Green Bay is coming off their bye-week, and hope Brett Hundley has gotten accustomed to first team snaps. This should be a close game, as most divisional match-ups tend to be. But I think the Packers ability to run the ball, whether with Ty Montgomery or Aaron Jones, will be the difference. GREEN BAY WINS

Dolphins @ Ravens: Don’t look now, but the Miami Dolphins are 4-2 on the season after a huge 4th quarter comeback against the Jets. Matt Moore came in after Jay Cutler was hurt and helped lead the charge. Baltimore has now lost 4 of their last 5 games. The Ravens offense hasn’t been able to sustain drives without a viable run game. Neither team is very consistent on either side of the ball, but at home, I’ll take the Birds. BALTIMORE WINS

London Game

Vikings @ Browns: Minnesota is doing almost everything right at the moment, and have taken advantage of the Packers loss of Aaron Rodgers to move into first place in the NFC North. The Vikings have two pretty good options at running back, and while Case Keenum isn’t particularly impressive under center, the offense is at least giving themselves a chance, with six drives ending in made field-goals last week. Cleveland on the other hand doesn’t do much right, and are the lone win-less team in the AFC. 4 of their losses have been by 3 points, so maybe a glimmer of hope there, but the QB carousel continues as the Browns try to find a way into the win column. They might, but not this week, and not in London. MINNESOTA WINS

Sunday 1pm Games

Falcons @ Jets: The good news for Atlanta is they didn’t blow a big lead against the Pats in their Super Bowl rematch. The bad news for Atlanta is that they could only muster a garbage time touchdown. On the other hand, the Jets did blow a big lead on Sunday, allowing a 17-0 fourth quarter in favor of Miami. The offense was okay through 3 for New York, but nothing went right for them late. Both teams find themselves bottom half of their respective divisions, but the Falcons are on a 3-game slide after starting off hot and putting Super Bowl hangover questions to rest. I’ve been surprised by the Jets so far this season, but I like the Falcons to bounce back in this one. ATLANTA WINS

Panthers @ Buccaneers: Both of these NFC South teams are in the midst of losing skids. Carolina is coming off an embarrassing performance against the Bears that saw them unable to find the end-zone once. The defense did it’s job, shutting down Chicago all game, but two of Cam Newton’s three turnovers were turned into scores. Tampa Bay lost in a back-and-forth game at Buffalo, despite a good day in the passing game by Jameis Winston. While the Bucs offense looked pretty good against the Bills last week, I think Cam Newton can, and will, bounce back from two bad games in a row. CAROLINA WINS

49ers @ Eagles: The Niners streak of losing games by less than 3 points came to an end last week, but their losing streak did not. The only NFC team that is still win-less heads into action against the team with the best record through 7 weeks. San Francisco was run up and down on by Dallas at home, while turning the ball over 3 times. Philadelphia easily handled Washington to end week 7. Carson Wentz continues to grow for the Eagles, and is making the Philly passing attack one with multiple big play options. A week ago I thought the Niners were moving in the direction of a win, but they took a serious step back and I don’t see any way they take down the Eagles this week. PHILADELPHIA WINS

Bears @ Saints: Winners of four straight, the Saints find themselves on top of the NFC South. Drew Brees struggled a bit against the Packers last week, but Mark Ingram continues to put up big numbers on the ground. Not to mention much better performances from the New Orleans defense after they started off the season very poorly. Chicago easily picked up their 2nd-straight win, thanks to a big defensive day by rookie safety Eddie Jackson, who had a fumble recovery for a touchdown AND a pick-six, both for over 75 yards. The Bears have won their last two, but they will need more from rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky this week, as the Saints offensive is just more potent. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Chargers @ Patriots: This AFC match-up features two teams trending up. Los Angeles is on a 3-game winning streak since starting 0-4. The offense and defense are both looking better, and the change at kicker helped turn things around. New England is back atop the AFC East and are on a 3-game winning streak of their own. The Patriots got a good game from Stephen Gostkowski and a mistake free performance from Tom Brady. The reigning champs have already lost two games at home this season, and I don’t see them picking up a third this week. NEW ENGLAND WINS

Raiders @ Bills: Oakland snapped their 4-game losing skid with a game-winning drive that saw penalties take away, then give them new chances to walk off with the 1-point win over KC. Broken back and all, Derek Carr threw for over 400 yards, and over half of those were to Amari Cooper. The Raiders survived with little production on the ground, and two misses by their kicker. The Bills are also coming off a week 7 win over Tampa. Buffalo got a solid day in the air from Tyrod Taylor, coupled with two scores from LeSean McCoy on the ground. The pass defense for the Bills wasn’t great, so that’s where Oakland can take advantage, though I think Buffalo will control clock and hold off the Raiders. BUFFALO WINS

Colts @ Bengals: Indianapolis continues to struggle, and couldn’t find a way to put up any points in week 7. The Jaguars defense put pressure on Jacoby Brissett all day, to the tune of 10 sacks and two forced fumbles. The good news for the Colts is that neither of those fumbles were lost, and there weren’t any turnovers. That can be carried over to this game against Cincinnati. As for the Bengals, they struggled on the road against Pittsburgh, and got shut out in the second-half. They were able to hold the Steelers to field goals for their final 5 scores, but that’s about all they can hang their hats on from last week. The Colts won’t be shutout again, but they won’t win either. CINCINNATI WINS

Sunday 4/4:25pm Games

Texans @ Seahawks: DeShaun Watson and company are coming off their bye looking to continue putting up big offensive numbers. They’ll have their hands full as the Seahawks defense has shown an ability to look like the Legion of Doom off the past. They did however allow the struggling Titans to score 33 a few weeks ago, so not all hope is lost. The Seattle offense has been the inconsistency for them so far, though they looked better in the second half last week against New York. I think this could be a pretty good defensive battle, but even if it gets to be a high scoring affair, I’m still siding with the home team in this one. SEATTLE WINS

Cowboys @ Redskins: The running game continues to improve for Dallas, who saw Ezekiel Elliot find the endzone twice on Sunday. Dak Prescott also three for three other scores and the defense made easy work of the 49ers. Washington kept things close with Philly last week, thanks to another good day from kicker Jake Elliot and a nice day in the passing game for Kirk Cousins. But the run game continues to struggle fo the Redskins, and the ability to win the time of possession is ultimately why the Cowboys will picks up the road victory. DALLAS WINS

Sunday Night Football

Steelers @ Lions: Pittsburgh has had some issues off the field, but on the field, they are starting to click in every phase. Le’Veon Bell has run for over 300 yards combined in their last two games (both wins) and after a 0 TD, 5 INT performance in week 5, Big Ben has been less error prone as well. Detroit is coming off their bye week, and enters on a 2 game slide. Their offense is putting up points, for both teams of late. In their week 6 loss to New Orleans, they allowed the Saints to force 5 turnovers and score 3 times. This game is going to be all about who hits harder, and who controls the clock. I like the Steelers in both cases. PITTSBURGH WINS

Monday Night Football

Broncos @ Chiefs: A big AFC West showdown caps off the week 8 action. After a 5-0 start, Kansas City has dropped two straight, including a heart-breaker last week in Oakland. The game came down to a final Raiders drive that saw them get an extra shot to score a game winning TD as time expired due to a defensive penalty. In week 5, Chiefs rookie back Kareem Hunt rushed for 107 yards; the last two weeks combined we ran for 108. Denver is struggling offensively as well, having scored just 10 points the last two weeks to teams with a combined 4 wins on the season. The Broncos were shutout, turned the ball over 3 times and were unable to turn any themselves. So who gets back on track? Give me Kansas City at home. KANSAS CITY WINS

The Chiefs picked up their first lost in week 6, while the Giants got their first win. San Fran is now the only win-less team in the league after another close loss as week 7 in the NFL gets going.

It was also another bad week for stars getting injured.

Thursday Night Football

Chiefs @ Raiders: Undefeated no more. Kansas City’s struggles continued against the Steelers, losing for the first time this season. In inability to sustain drives until it was too late plagued the Chiefs. The defense did its best to give them a chance in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough. As for their AFC West opponents this week, the Raiders struggles continued, as they dropped their fourth straight. This despite Derek Carr, who literally broke his back for this team, returning from injury. He wasn’t sharp and they fell on a late field goal. So who gets back in the win column this week? Give me the healthy road squad to move to 6-1. KANSAS CITY WINS

Sunday 1pm Games

Ravens @ Vikings: Baltimore’s up and down season confused last week, losing in OT to the Bears. Joe Flacco wasn’t very good, and the running game continues to struggle. Case Keenum led the Vikings past the Packers after knocking Aaron Rodgers out with an injury. He Jerick McKinnon is helping Minnesota prolong drives in a big way on the ground. The Vikings have an opportunity to make moves in the NFC North and I think they continue to this week. MINNESOTA WINS

Saints @ Packers: New Orleans was unstoppable on offense in week 6, putting up a league high 52 points on the Lions. At one point they were up 45-10, and while they ended up allowing 38 in the game, the defense made Matt Stafford work to get back into it. Mark Ingram had a huge day running the football, finding paydirt twice. They head to Green Bay to face a Packers team that may have lost their starting quarterback for the year. Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone Sunday, and it wasn’t the only loss suffered in Minnesota. Brett Hundley moved the ball well on offense in Rodgers’ absence, but it wasn’t enough as they fell to their division rivals. The Saints are climbing up the NFC South after an 0-2 start, and I expect another big day for them this weekend. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Jets @ Dolphins: Don’t look now but the Miami Dolphins are on a winning streak. The Fins took down the Falcons on the road, and getting 2016 Jay Ajayi back was a big part why. New York put up a good fight against the reigning champs, but a controversial call on a late touchdown sealed the Jets fate at 3-3 through six weeks. Josh McCown threw for 354 yards, his most in a game since 10/11/15 against the Ravens. So while Miami is coming off a win, the Jets have been more consistent and I think that pays off in week 7. NEW YORK WINS

Panthers @ Bears: Chicago got its first win with Mitch Trubisky at the helm, needing overtime to do so. Not that Trubisky was the star; that was Jordan Howard and his 167- yards rushing. Carolina enters leading the NFC South, despite a loss to open up week 6 action on Thursday. The Panthers has their chances against Philly, but three Cam Newtown turnovers were too much to overcome. The Bears have started to look a little more consistent, but I still like the Panthers to take this one. CAROLINAWINS

Cardinals @ Rams: The Cardinals had one of their better offensive showings last week, thanks in big part to newly acquired running back Adrian Peterson. AP did very little in his 4-game career in New Orleans, but in one game with Arizona, scored twice. Los Angeles also picked up a victory last week, holding down a potent Jaguars offense. Which NFC West team gets the win this week? As much as I like this Rams team, I think the Cardinals are poised to figure things out and go on a streak. ARIZONA WINS

Jaguars @ Colts: Indianapolis nearly found a way on Monday night to pick up a road win in Tennessee, but ultimately fell short. Without Andrew Luck, the offense hasn’t been the issue, it’s been the inconsistency of the defense. The Jaguars fell in a defensive struggle to the Rams last week. They continue to get huge production from rookie rusher Leonard Fournette. While the Jacksonville offense maybe up and down, the defense isn’t. That’ll be the difference. JACKSONVILLE WINS

Buccaneers @ Bills: Tampa Bay lost both their week 6 game and starting QB Jameis Winston. With or without Winston, I trust the Tampa defense to get the job done. Buffalo is well-rested and in an early fight forthe AFC East. They’ve been up and down offensively, but their defense has been pretty good early. Without Winston, I’m not sure they’ll be able to get past the Bills on the road. BUFFALO WINS

Sunday 4/4:25pm Games

Cowboys @ 49ers: Another close loss doomed the Niners to an 0-6 start. After losing by 20 in week 1, San Fran has lost each of their last 5 games by 3 points of less. A change in quarterback finally came in week 6, and it almost meant a last second win against Washington. Dallas’ bye week cake folloing two losses where they scored 30-plus points. The defense hasn’t been what they’ve even looking for, particularly late in games. Despite that, I still think they’re well-prepared to handle the 49ers on the road, even with now close San Fran keeps coming to victories. DALLAS WINS

Bengals @ Steelers:The Steelers are coming off an impressive week 6 performance that meant the Chiefs first loss of the year. Pittsburgh’s defense was huge, and Big Ben bounced back after a 5 interception performance against Jacksonville. Their AFC North rivals hope their week off after a win helps them make moves in the division. Cincinnati’s week 5 win over Buffalo was a big once for them. Every year I wait for the Bengals to take the next step, and while they still have the team that could take downPutt, I don’t think they do it on the road this week. PITTSBURGH WINS

Seahawks @ Giants: Seattle is coming off their bye week, a half game back of the Rams for the lead in the NFC West. They beat those same Rams in week 5, with a big performance from their defense. Th Seahawks have shown they can shut down teams when their offense isn’t functioning at its best, while also being able to pull away too this season. As for their opines, there’s nothing quite like having nothing to lose to spark a victory. The Giants went into a tough Sunday Night match-up against the Broncos at 0-5, coming off a week that saw them lose 3 huge offensive weapons, and they made easy work of Denver. Their defense looked re-energized and made it tough all night. That being said, I still think the Seahawks go into East Rutherford and get the win. SEATTLE WINS

Broncos @ Chargers: Entering week 6, the Broncos run defense was tops in the league. Facing one of the worst rushing teams in the league, the Giants did whatever they wanted on offense. Denver’s own offense didn’t show up either. Los Angeles has won its last two, finally figuring out how to win close games, thanks to having a kicker who doesn’t miss in late game situations. So who will claim victory in week 7? Despite the down week last week, I’ll take the Broncos to get back on track. DENVER WINS

Sunday Night Football

Patriots @ Falcons: It’s a Super Bowl rematch on Sunday Night, between two teams still trying to find their way this season. New England got the win last week on the road, but it wasn’t easy against the Jets. They got off to a slow start, but 24 unanswered, including 12 from Rob Gronkowski, helped move them into a tie atop the AFC East with Buffalo. Ironically, as the story-line will be to revisit the Falcons blowing a big lead to the Pats in February, they come off a similar loss to the Dolphins in week 6. Up 17-0 at the half, Atlanta was shutout in the second half and had trouble stopping the run. Expect the sting of another blown lead and wanting revenge for the Super Bowl loss to bring out the best in the Falcons at home. ATLANTA WINS

Monday Night Football

Redskins @ Eagles: The top 2 teams in the NFC East do battle to close out week 7 action. Philly will be well-rested coming off a week 6 win over Carolina on Thursday night. The Eagles defense made big plays against Cam Newton, and Carson Wentz continues to show his growth for the Eagles on offense. Washington had to hold off the win-less Niners to pick up their 4th win of the season. They got a lot of people involved on offense, surviving a couple of turnovers in the process. This will be a fun, close division match-up, that will go the way of the home team. PHILADELPHIA WINS

Week 6 is here and the Kansas City Chiefs remain undefeated, while 3 other teams are still win-less. Teams on bye this week: Bills, Bengals, Cowboys and Seahawks.

Thursday Night Football

Eagles @ Panthers: Two 3-1 teams look to stake early claim as a possible 1 or 2 seed in the NFC on Thursday night. Both enter action atop their respective divisions. Philly is flying high thanks to their offense, which features LeGarrett Blount punishing people on the ground. Carolina is starting to find their stride on offense , despite struggling in their own rush attack. The question is, whose defense makes the key stop late? Both teams tend to play close games, and while I like how the Panthers have looked of late, I’ll take the Eagles on the road in this one. PHILADELPHIA WINS

Sunday 1PM Games

Bears @ Ravens: Mitch Trubisky’s debut for Chicago wasn’t anything to write home about, but he kept them in the game against a superior Vikings team, so that’s something. The Ravens bounced back in a big way from two lack-luster performances to beat the Raiders on the road. Still not convinced that Baltimore is all the way back because of one win against a team who had just lost their quarterback, but in this game, I like the Ravens over the Bears. BALTIMORE WINS

Packers @ Vikings: Another week, another big second half propelled the Packers to a week 5 win over the Cowboys. Aaron Rodgers drove his team to a game winning touchdown with 11 seconds left in regulation. After losing a couple of running backs in week 4, Aaron Jones made his impact felt, with a 125 yards rushing. Minnesota got Sam Bradford for a bit Monday night, but he left just before the end of the first half after re-aggravating his knee injury. Case Keenum took over, and led them on a drive to win the game in the final seconds on a field goal. But they struggled offensively against the Bears defense. Admittedly, the Green Bay defense hasn’t been great this season, but the Packers are better offensively, and that’s how they’ll get their 5th win of the season. GREEN BAY WINS

49ers @ Redskins: San Fran was close to their first win of the season in week 5, but fell to 0-5 after an overtime field goal off the leg of Adam Vinatieri went through the uprights. The offense looked better, though against the Colts defense that isn’t saying much. Their pass defense remains a problem, so expect Kirk Cousins and company to feast.Washington is coming off a bye, so their weapons should be ready to go. Give me the home team easily in this one. WASHINGTON WINS

Lions @ Saints: Detroit enters action coming off a loss to the Panthers, their second of the season. It was another close game for the Lions, and despite finding the end-zone when able to sustain drives, their 2nd half comeback wasn’t enough. They’ll need more from their rushing attack to keep a well-rested Drew Brees at bay. Brees and company are coming off their bye and two wins after losing the first two of the season. The defense, which had been monumentally bad through two weeks, while not dominant, has looked better in weeks 3 and 4. This could be a shootout, but I like New Orleans at home in this one. NEW ORLEANS WINS

Dolphins @ Falcons: Miami didn’t play well, but they escaped Tennessee with their second win of the season. Jay Cutler didn’t reach 100 yards passing, and neither did Jay Ajayi on the ground. Their lone touchdown came on a defensive fumble recovery. They take a step up in weight class this Sunday against the Falcons, who are 3-1 and coming off their bye week. While Atlanta has been a bit shaky at times, they shouldn’t have any problem against the Fins on either side of the ball. ATLANTA WINS

Browns @ Texans: Cleveland had a number of chances to take the lead in their week 5 game against the Jets, but missed a couple of field goals. Houston lost not only their game last week, but one of their most important players in JJ Watt, who is now out for the season. Luckily for the Texans, rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson has shown he can move this team down the field. Now he just needs to do it from start to finish, and not in garbage time. The Browns have shown signs of life, but Houston is the better team. HOUSTON WINS

Patriots @ Jets: Did anyone think this would be a battle to stay atop the AFC East? Well, it is. Both teams enter action at 3-2, tied with Buffalo for the division.The Jets win over Cleveland wasn’t crisp, but the defense played well, and Josh McCown did just enough to pick up a 3rd win on the year. The Patriots had a similar experience in their win over the Bucs to start the week. Their defense continued to allow a lot of yards in the air, but they ultimately bent, but didn’t break. NEW ENGLAND WINS

Sunday 4/4:25PM Games

Rams @ Jaguars: Two up-and-coming teams kick off the 4pm games. The Jags are alone atop the AFC South, while the Rams are tied for first in the NFC West. Both have defenses capable of turning mistakes into points, while also hitting quick plays in offense to jack up the score. They both also have quarterbacks prone to making mistakes of their own. I believe this one will come down to who runs the ball better, and if Leonard Fournette is healthy, I like the Jacksonville’s chances at home to take down Los Angeles. JACKSONVILLE WINS

Buccaneers @ Cardinals: These NFC teams are both coming off losses this week, with the Cards looking to get back to .500, and the Bucs trying to get above the mark. Tampa’s pass attack is strong, and while they didn’t do a terrible job against Tom Brady, they didn’t do well either. Arizona has struggled offensively without David Johnson, and hope their acquisition of Adrian Peterson from New Orleans helps their rushing attack. Though I wouldn’t bet on it, as Peterson didn’t do much in his short tenure with the Saints. So who gets back in the win column? Unfortunately, I don’t think it’ll be the team I picked to win it all this season. TAMPA BAY WINS

Chargers @ Raiders: Los Angeles avoided an 0-5 start with a road win against New York, thanks in large part to a last-minute drive and field-goal that actually went through the uprights. A change at kicker was one of their biggest needs, and the Chargers solved it, at least for now, with journeyman Nick Novak. Oakland wasn’t so lucky in week 5, falling for a third straight time, their first without starting QB Derek Carr. Without him, the offense didn’t work as well as it had been to start the season. That being said, I think EJ Manuel and company will find a way to get the Raiders back in the win column. OAKLAND WINS

Steelers @ Chiefs: Pittsburgh had one of the worst games in the Ben Roethelisberger era last week against the Jaguars. 9 points scored, and 5 interceptions thrown by Big Ben, including two which were run back for touchdowns in the third quarter. Kansas City meanwhile, remains unbeaten and while you can see weaknesses, is still clearly the best team through 5 weeks of the season. Look for more Kareem Hunt and another win for the Chiefs. KANSAS CITY WINS

Sunday Night Football

Giants @ Broncos: As one of the 3 remaining win-less teams, the New York Giants enter week 6 without 3 of their most important weapons: Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall and Dwayne Harris are all out of the season after getting hurt on Sunday. Leading late, the Giants saw another win slip away, as guys went down left and right. The one positive? The running game started to look better. As for Denver, they are coming into Sunday Night with a 3-1 record and rested off their bye. They’ve played well, but are still a 1.5 games back of the Chiefs in the AFC West. The Broncos have a shot to get going on both sides of the ball this week to a down Giants team. That being said, they shouldn’t assume victory. That’s my job. DENVER WINS

Monday Night Football

Colts @ Titans: Indianapolis found a way to get an overtime win over the Niners in week 5, to stay within a game of the AFC South leading Jaguars. Adam Vinatieri continues to kick his team to victories, and Jacoby Brissett seems to be setting into the starters role as Andrew Luck continues to work his way back. Meanwhile, without Marcus Mariota, the Titans fell at home in a lackluster performance against the Dolphins. It was a tough go for Matt Cassel and the Tennessee offense. They hope to have Mariota back for this week 6 closer, and it should help get the Titans back in the win column, TENNESSEE WINS

Week 5 is upon on us, and that means the start of bye weeks. The Falcons, Broncos, Saints and Redskins all have the week off…

One undefeated team is left standing after the first month of the season, while four teams, two in each league, are still searching for their first wins.

Thursday Night Football

Patriots @ Buccaneers: So the reigning champs don’t look great early on. At 2-2, they’re tied for second in the AFC East, and have the worst defense in the league. In fact, they’re on pace to be the worst defense EVER. All this while Tom Brady looks ageless and the run game looks pretty good despite losing LeGarrett Blount in the off-season. As for Tampa, they sneaked by in week 4 by the skin of the football going through the uprights to end the game against New York. Their passing attack looks pretty good, but Nick Folk couldn’t put up points on stalled drives a couple of times. While New England should be worried about their defense, I honestly can’t see this team going below .500, so I’ll take Brady in this Thursday Night affair. NEW ENGLAND WINS

Sunday 1PM Games

49ers @ Colts: San Fran did some good things in week 4, but they couldn’t find the end zone, so they fell to 0-4 on the season. The Niners haven’t been able to put together a full game yet this year, and neither their offense nor their defense is strong enough to carry them. The Colts first half against Seattle was strong, but then the wheels fell off, and their were unable to string together a second straight win. It’s another game without Andrew Luck under center, but I don’t think that will be a problem for Indy. I like the home team this week. INDIANAPOLIS WINS

Jets @ Browns: The New York Jets are 2-2 and are coming off an overtime win against the Jaguars. It’s amazing how dominant they were, but Jacksonville was able to force OT. Bilal Powell was huge on the ground, but had a costly fumble that turned into 7 points for the Jags. Cleveland is win-less, and probably thought this would be a possible win on their schedule heading into the season. The Browns didn’t put up a fight against the previously win-less Bengals at home. While New York has found a way to win two games, I still think this could be a close game but I also don’t think the Browns will get the win. NEW YORK WINS

Jaguars @ Steelers: Pittsburgh made easy work of their rival Ravens, and are tied for the second-best record in the AFC. Le’Veon Bell was a beast on the ground, while Big Ben was adequate. The defense has been good, but let’s be honest, the Steelers haven’t really faced anyone yet. The Jags have been up and down, but at their best, they can score with anyone, and shut down anyone. Leonard Fournette has done a great job so far in his rookie season, so I expect this to be a good old-fashioned ground-and-pound game. While it’s hard to go into Pitt and win, I have a funny feeling about the Jags this weekend. JACKSONVILLE WINS

Chargers @ Giants: Two teams that are used to being in the playoffs, or at least in the hunt, find themselves at 0-4 as we enter the second month of the season. Both teams have seen wins turn to losses in the final seconds because of missed field-goals on Los Angeles’ side, and makes for the opponents on the Giants side. New York finally got Odell Beckham Jr. involved in week 4, but they need their defense to force turnovers, and to better extend drives with some modicum of a running game. The Chargers are offense hasn’t been much better than the Giants has. I expect another close game this week for these two, but I think the Giants find a way at home to get in the win column. NEW YORK WINS

Bills @ Bengals: Don’t look now, but the Bills are alone at the top of the AFC East. Buffalo has handed the Broncos and Falcons their first losses on the season in back-to-back weeks. The offense wasn’t at it’s best, but Steven Hauschka hit two field-goals over 50 yards, the defense had a score and tight-end Charles Clay had a big day. Cincinnati looked it’s best by far on Sunday against the Browns. Andy Dalton was on point passing and the defense continued to be very good. While neither team has had much success running the ball and controlling the clock, I expect LeSean McCoy to resurface this week. BUFFALO WINS

Panthers @ Lions: Both teams are coming off week 4 victories and enter at 3-1, tied for first in their respective divisions. Carolina finally broke out on offense in week 4, picking up an impressive win on the road over the Patriots. Their defense is tied allowing fourth-fewest points per game… with their opponents this week. The Lions did just enough to get a road win over the Vikings in week 4. They’re a called back TD away from being 4-0, and have shown they can win the close games. I expect this to be another close one, that Detroit comes out on top in. DETROIT WINS

Titans @ Dolphins: Not only did the Titans get run over for 60 minutes in week 4, they also lost Marcus Mariota to injury. While he hasn’t been ruled out for Sunday, he has been limited in practice this week. The good news for Tennessee? Miami looked horrendous against a Saints team who’s hallmark isn’t defense. They couldn’t sustain drives, and after rushing for 122 yards in the Dolphins’ first game of the season, Jay Ajayi has been missing from the offense. So who gets back on track this week? I’m rolling with the Titans, whether Mariota plays or not. TENNESSEE WINS

Cardinals @ Eagles: Arizona has struggled so far without David Johnson this season. Their defense has held for the most part, but last week it took until very late into overtime to find the end-zone against the 49ers defense. Philly held off the Chargers, thanks in big part from the physicality of LeGarrett Blount, and a big day from rookie kicker Jake Elliot. Philip Rivers was able to find holes in the Eagles secondary, and I expect Carson Palmer to do the same thing. ARIZONA WINS

Sunday 4/425PM Games

Ravens @ Raiders: For a team that started off 2-0, the Ravens look very lost. Their offense has managed just 16 points combined the last two weeks, while their defense has allowed 70. Oakland is in a similar spot, having lost two in a row after easily winning their first two games of the season. Add a back injury to Derek Carr, and a season with so much promise for the Raiders looks to be in jeopardy with how good the Chiefs look, and the Broncos already having a game in hand against them. While the Carr injury is huge, I still have a lot of faith in the Raiders defense, and think they can still get the offense going against Baltimore with EJ Manuel under center. OAKLAND WINS

Seahawks @ Rams: Seattle needed a bit of time to break out against Indianapolis last weekend, but once they did, they looked unstoppable. The Rams defense should be a step up in quality for them, so 46 points might be hard, though LA has allowed 39 to the Niners already this season. As for the Rams, their offense looks to be clicking on all cylinders, picking up a win in Dallas in week 4. This NFC West match-up is an early season claim on the division, as a Seahawks win would tie them atop with Los Angeles. I know the Legion of Boom can stop anyone, but this 3-1 Rams team is different from the one we saw a year ago that couldn’t sustain things. I’m taking the home team in this game. LOS ANGELES WINS

Packers @ Cowboys: Green Bay is a bit banged up on offense, but they’re feeling good tied atop the division coming into week 5. Dallas is struggling, particularly on defense. Two playoff teams from a year ago, both looking to move up/stay on top of their respective divisions. Ezekiel Elliot is starting to look better as the season goes on, which is huge for the Cowboys. What the home team needs to get the win over the Packers this week is for another slow start from Aaron Rodgers. But even with the knowledge that they might not have as good a running game as they might need this week, I still like the road team in this one. GREEN BAY WINS

Sunday Night Football

Chiefs @ Texans: Houston, you have a quarterback. Deshaun Watson has been nothing short of amazing since taking over Tom Savage in week 1. Sure, the Texans are 2-2, but Watson can control the game on the ground and in the air, and that’s no easy task. Not to mention they put up the most points in a game this season in week 4, and got those 57 points in a variety of ways. Kansas City heads to Texas as the only undefeated team in the league, and while they aren’t head and shoulders above the rest, they have been the best team in the league. They’ve carried a huge week 1 win over the defending champs into the second month of the season. They aren’t making careless mistakes, a reason why they can win the close games. Like the Texans, the Chiefs have a rookie on offense that is making a name for himself in Kareem Hunt. A dynamic offense, coupled with a very good defense means a 5-0 start in my book for KC. KANSAS CITY WINS

Monday Night Football

Vikings @ Bears: The Vikings struggled to get their offense going in week 4, but their defense continues to show up. Without Sam Bradford and now rookie back Dalvin Cook, Minnesota will need their defense to force more turnovers and score for them. Chicago’s offense has been worse, though they can control clock if Jordan Howard gets going on the ground for them. Their defense however isn’t very good, so this should be a chance for the Vikings to get going. MINNESOTA WINS